PS to the Murder Mystery

The following cleverly color-coded statements, purportedly from the suspects in the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater presented at the St. Petersburg Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention in Tampa on Monday, have been obtained by the Saint Raphael Messenger (through no effort of its own, we might add). Perhaps they shed some light on said murder mystery. Perhaps not. In any case, they most assuredly are supplemented by the slide show from the convention.

From Jade: Well, well, well, Quite a fun little night you had, didn't you, Ms. White? To think, your guests thought I was the one to do our beloved Black in....Ha! You weren't the sweet little socialite they thought you were after all! Well done. XO

From Violet: And to think I was on everyone's hit list!! They hadn't a clue that I would be the next Mr. Black. I do miss you all!!! Remember to take your Benefiber daily!!! Love and Blessings

From CC to Violet: Mr. Black?!! Is your next operation to be a sex change? At your age I should think you could live out the rest of your life as MS. Plum unless you're plum crazy.

From Jade:Oh my goodness, VIOLET, how could I have forgotten to mention you in my email. Or is it that I've chosen to put the hemorrhoid queen behind me, hmmmmm. ;-)

From Ms White:To Prudence Buffy Violet Jade and CC and Rose, I guess by now you know that I have been released from custody but what you don't know is I am with Black spending his billions. He of course was just pretending to be dead with a little help from a few good people we pulled it off .SO LONG SUCKERS !!!!!!!!!!!! Mrs. BLACK aka Ms White

From Buffy: I have decided to relocate to St Pete FL permanently since Uncle Black eloped with White, and I just couldn't see going back to NY by myself. I really have grown quite fond of Jade, Rosy, CC, Prudence, and even Violet (She would be so proud of me, I took my fiber by eating cheetos tonight) I know White and Black will be back one day, and perhaps they will stay at my home from time to time, if they dare... BTW Uncle Black bought me a GORGEOUS house before he left (through Brophy Realty, of course), but it is RIGHT next door to a fire station and there are fire alarms in every room....They also bought my McMansion close to St Raphael's Church in hopes that I might stumble in those doors and become a NEW person. Yes, there is hope for someone even as messed up as me... Maybe Black will start an the Film Production company and we will all live happily ever after, no more crime or violence????

From Ms White/Mrs Black to Buffy: Dear Buffy, will you ever forgive me. I am so sorry that I gave you away at birth but my parents made me do it as it would have been a social disgrace to have you out of wedlock. Your Dad (Black) and I want to make it up to you. We have changed our will and you are our sole heir. the only reason I was so mean to you was to hide my love for you.We want you to come live with us and make up for lost time. (the only rule is no matches or lighters) I can plan a huge coming out ball for you and I have arranged with a plastic surgeon friend of mine to get you laser treatments to remove your tattoos. Please find it in your heart to forgive me and give me a chance to be the mother you deserve xxxMom (Mrs. Black aka Ms White)

From Black, who surprisingly enough is not dead after all: To my gang, I hope all of you are enjoying yourselves and staying out of trouble; of course that doesn’t apply to Buffy who seems to always be in the thick of things. Buffy is always looking for a party as you all know. I am enjoying my time away from the gang and enjoying my water view property, but there may come a time when I request all of you to be present for another job. Especially due to your unique skill sets. In fact, Black’s Film Production maybe a place that calls upon those unique talents that all of you possess. However right now I am enjoying some much needed peace and relaxation. Furthermore, although I am a patient man, never forget that you’re dealing with a genius who foiled your plot for my demise. Trust must be re-established and an oath of loyalty must be reaffirmed before I take any of you back, but then I always have been a quite forgivable and loving Boss. Sincerely, Mr. Black

From CC: Dear Buffy, As a former security agent for both Mr. Black and Ms. White, I would warn you not to get too close to either of them. You can trust what they say to be the exact opposite to what they mean.

From Ms White/Mrs Black to Buffy: My Dearest Buffy, Please do not pay any attention to a thing C.C. says as she is green with envy, full of jealousy and just plan MAD that my Husband(black) and I are finally doing the right thing. xxxxxooooMom P.S. look in your driveway as you will find a late 25th Belated birthday present from your Dad and I. YES it is a brand New Mercedes convertible

Emmaus and us

Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio, 1601.

By Dr. Scott Hahn

We should put ourselves in the shoes of the disciples in Sunday’s Gospel. Downcast and confused they’re making their way down the road, unable to understand all the things that have occurred.

They know what they’ve seen–a prophet mighty in word and deed. They know what they were hoping for–that He would be the redeemer of Israel. But they don’t know what to make of His violent death at the hands of their rulers.

They can’t even recognize Jesus as He draws near to walk with them. He seems like just another foreigner visiting Jerusalem for the Passover.

Note that Jesus doesn’t disclose His identity until they they describe how they found His tomb empty but “Him they did not see.” That’s how it is with us, too. Unless He revealed himself we would see only an empty tomb and a meaningless death.

How does Jesus make himself known at Emmaus? First, He interprets “all the Scriptures” as referring to Him. In Sunday’s First Reading and Epistle, Peter also opens the Scriptures to proclaim the meaning of Christ’s death according to the Father’s “set plan” – foreknown before the foundation of the world.

Jesus is described as a new Moses and a new Passover lamb. He is the One of whom David sang in Sunday’s Psalm–whose soul was not abandoned to corruption but was shown the path of life.

After opening the Scriptures, Jesus at table took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples–exactly what He did at the Last Supper (see Luke 22:14-20).

In every Eucharist, we re-enact that Easter Sunday at Emmaus. Jesus reveals himself to us in our journey. He speaks to our hearts in the Scriptures. Then at the table of the altar, in the person of the priest, He breaks the bread.

The disciples begged him, “Stay with us.” So He does. Though He has vanished from our sight, in the Eucharist–as at Emmaus–we know Him in the breaking of the bread.

Dr. Scott Hahn is professor of theology at Franciscan University at Steubenville, Ohio. He was formerly a Presbyterian minister who converted to Catholicism in 1986. Lighthouse Catholic Media has many of his talks on CD or for download.

The Gospel this Sunday

May 8, 2011
Third Sunday of Easter

Luke 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

Divine Mercy Sunday 2011

Photos by Jane Winstead

Pope John Paul II granted the Feast of Mercy to the Universal Church in 2000 when St. Faustina was canonized. St. Faustina was a nun in Poland to whom the Lord appeared in 1931. This is what she wrote in her diary for February 22:

"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

Later, the Lord spoke to her again:

"The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross. ... Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him."

First Communion 2011

Photos by Jane Winstead